


can we call this a home?

by tamajam



Category: Minecraft (Video Game), Video Blogging RPF
Genre: Found Family, Hybrid AU, Minor Violence, characters will be added as the story goes on, i still dont know how to tag im sorry, mentions of abandonment issues, sleepy bois inc - Freeform
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2020-12-12
Updated: 2020-12-11
Packaged: 2021-03-10 18:48:50
Rating: Not Rated
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,307
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/28021941
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/tamajam/pseuds/tamajam
Summary: "Come on–you can't expect me to let you sit out here in the rain all night. It's supposed to storm." The man's smile shifted into a frown, "What's your name?"His name? No one had ever asked his name. He didn't really even have one–not one from his parents, anyway, whoever they were. He'd named himself a few years ago, drawing from words he overhead and liked the sound of."Technoblade."Or, how Techno met the people who would change his life forever.
Relationships: Dave | Technoblade & Phil Watson, Dave | Technoblade & Wilbur Soot & TommyInnit & Phil Watson, No Romantic Relationship(s)
Comments: 7
Kudos: 176





	can we call this a home?

It was a rainy night. Not quite storming, but the water still fell in heavy drops. It soaked his clothes and chilled him to the bone. He'd been huddled in an alleyway, barely covered by the eave of the building he leaned against, dripping wet and shivering. He could remember feeling so cold and alone in that moment, as if the entire world was trying to drown him out. Only eight years old, and he had already seen more heartache and suffering than any normal child should feel in a lifetime. And he didn't expect it to go any other way.

_"Hey–are you alright?"_

There, only a few feet ahead of him, stood a man in a black cloak. Wavy blond hair framed his face, barely passing his chin and sticking out from underneath a white and green striped hat. He looked concerned, but Techno didn't immediately take notice. Concern looked all too similar to pity, something that had been thrown his way plenty of times but was about as useful as his thin shirt in keeping him dry. He didn't respond to the man, instead ducking his head further down and willing him to move on so he could avoid the inevitable disgust that came with people getting a closer look at his appearance. 

The man didn't leave, though. He'd taken a few steps closer, slow and cautious, then had crouched down beside him. Techno had tensed and fought the urge to scramble to his feet and run, instead screwing his eyes shut and balling his hands into fists around the fabric of his shirt. Running only made things worse–he'd look like a coward, and sometimes when he ran people chased. That only resulted in bruises and blood and tears, and he was too cold and too tired for that.

"Are you lost?"

Lost? He opened one eye, peering at the man carefully through strands of his hair. His heart was pounding in his ears, instincts screaming at him to shove the guy away and run, but something about the way the man was looking at him held him in place. It wasn't pity, it wasn't disgust, it wasn't mockery–it was something else entirely. Something kind and empathetic. Techno couldn't remember the last time someone had looked at him like that. The man's own eyes, blue and glowing with a kind of warmth that made the knot in his chest tighten, were locked onto his.

"No." He'd forced out, knuckles going white, "'m not lost."

The man frowned softly. "What are you doing out here on your own? You'll catch a cold in this weather. Shouldn't you be at home?"

Techno shook his head. "Don't have one." His voice was strained and thin, pitch fluctuating a bit as the shivering continued. The rain seemed to be getting worse–not that the man minded, considering he was wearing a bucket hat that seemed to be deflecting most of it and thick enough clothing to not be bothered.

The man paused, and for a moment he seemed to just examine him with a thoughtful expression on his face. Techno shifted uncomfortably as the blue eyes passed over some of the boy's features as if only noticing them for the first time–the pointed ears sticking out of his head in place of human ones, the sharpened canines just barely poking out of his mouth despite his efforts to keep them hidden, the pale pink color of his hair–all signs pointed to what he was. A hybrid. 

Techno felt his heart sink to his stomach and he looked away. Though he wasn't watching, he knew that the kind look in the man's eyes was probably gone, replaced by the disgust now that he knew what he was looking at. Some hybrid of a piglin and a human, a shameful thing that no one wanted to look upon for too long. A disgrace. He considered bolting then and there, not wanting to have to watch the man leave, but was stopped by a gentle hand on his shoulder.

_What?_

"How about you come home with me, yeah? Get you some warm clothes, get a good meal in you?" The man smiled at him, kinder than he'd ever been smiled at before. His chest pounded and his eyes widened, mouth opening and closing a few times as he struggled to figure out how to respond. His stomach growled hungrily at the prospect of a meal, but his instincts told him not to trust an offer like this. It was too good to be true, wasn't it? As genuine as this man seemed, he couldn't be seriously offering something like this.

Techno just shook his head, but he didn't move away. He didn't want the man to take his hand off his shoulder–that kind of touch was rare, and even if it wouldn't last he wanted to savor it.

"Come on–you can't expect me to let you sit out here in the rain all night. It's supposed to storm." The man's smile shifted into a frown, "What's your name?"

His name? No one had ever asked his name. He didn't really even have one–not one from his parents, anyway, whoever they were. He'd named himself a few years ago, drawing from words he overhead and liked the sound of.

"Technoblade." He mumbled.

"My name is Philza," the man started, "but you can call me Phil, yeah? Now, I'm not going to leave you here by yourself to freeze." 

Techno didn't say anything, but the man pushed himself to his feet and offered him a hand regardless.

"At least let me give you something to eat and some dry clothes. You can leave afterwards if you want to, I won't stop you, but at least let me help you that much. How's that sound?"

Techno stared at him for a moment, pale eyes wide and confused. This guy wasn't backing off. And he was offering _food_ , real food, food other than whatever scraps of bread or fruit he could snatch off of a vendor when their back was turned. Plus, his clothes were soaked, and if it was going to storm… he didn't exactly have anywhere to go for shelter aside from the barely covered alleys, and those were hardly safe.

After what felt like an eternity of consideration but really only amounted to a minute or so, he reached out and took the man's hand. Phil pulled him to his feet and rested a hand on his shoulder, guiding him out of the alley and into what he didn't realize was the best leap of faith he'd ever make.

Phil led him through the streets, which had almost entirely emptied now that the rain was falling harder. The few people who were still out shot Phil odd looks as he passed with Techno at his side, and the boy did his best to ignore them by focusing his gaze on the ground ahead. 

It was a long walk. Phil's home was a good way outside the main village. To get there, they traveled down an old, mossy cobblestone path slick with the rainwater that filtered through the leaves above. On more than one occasion Phil had to catch him as he slipped on the wet stone. He was grateful, of course, but it didn't stop him from inching away from the other each time. He wasn't used to this kind of closeness, and while it was comforting at first he was beginning to find it stranger and stranger how willing Phil was to help him out. He was being led deep into the forest at night with a complete stranger–the list of things that could go wrong was endless.

Still, the prospect of a good meal kept him trailing along beside the man. His stomach growled with anticipation as the lights from the house finally came into view, casting flickering light through the trees, but he found himself stopping short at the sight of it.

It was huge. Bigger than many of the village homes, at least, and surrounded by trees and lanterns hung on posts, giving it a sort of secluded, magical feel. It was the sort of thing most little kids would find enchanting, and he couldn't deny the way his heart seemed to lift a little as they neared the door.

He shook himself out of that feeling, though. He wasn't staying, after all–just eating something and maybe taking some clothes. If he could, he would steal some extra supplies when the man wasn't looking. Sure, he felt a little guilty taking from someone who was kind enough to make an offer like this, but that didn't mean he was going to abandon his own instincts. This was the best opportunity he had to take things that would be useful so he wouldn't have to risk the bruises that came with stealing from anyone who didn't seem to not mind his obvious heritage. 

"Here we are," Phil smiled and flipped a switch near the double doors marking the entrance, which swung open for the two of them.

As soon as the boy stepped over the threshold he felt the wooden floor beneath him sink down a small bit and his blood ran cold. 

_It's a trap it was a trap he's going to hurt you run it's too late nononononono–_  
Techno just about threw himself backwards, desperate to escape before he was hurt. Out here, no one could hear him or come to help (not that they would), out here he was all alone. He knew this was a dangerous idea, why had he come? What–

He slammed into the now shut door and stumbled, nearly losing his footing before Phil grabbed his shoulders. The man pulled him back upright, brows furrowed in concern, and asked, "What are you doing?"

"You–the floor–" Techno stammered, pulling away and pressing his back against the door. His eyes darted around the room, searching for whatever danger he was about to face. 

There was…. Nothing?

The house looked completely normal. The lights inside had turned on, and from the room they were in he could see a bit of what he guessed was a kitchen from down the hall. His shoulders relaxed a little and he sighed a breath he hadn't been aware he was holding. His heart was still pounding in his ears and he was still on guard, but by the way Phil was looking at him he didn't think any sort of hit was coming. 

"The floor?" Phil smiled, though he still looked confused, "That was just a pressure plate. You know what those are, yeah?" Techno didn't, really, but he nodded anyway, "It was just to switch on the lights and shut the door. Nothing else." He paused, then added, "Try and relax, yeah? I'm not going to hurt you."

Techno didn't, but he did move away from the door. He was careful not to step on the pressure plate again, not wanting the adrenaline spike the feeling of a sinking floor brought. 

Phil pointed at a hall branching off from the one side of the room. "There's a spare bedroom and a bathroom down there, if you'd like to dry yourself off and wash up. I've got some spare clothes down there, but, uh…" he looked over Techno's thin form and chuckled, "Well, I'm sure we can make something fit, eh? I'll get something started on the stove." He shot the boy a reassuring smile, then headed off into the kitchen.

Techno stared after him, still in shock. He’d only been allowed into maybe one or two homes before, neither of which were particularly nice, and he’d never been trusted to wander someone’s home by himself. Especially when he was dripping wet and tracking water all over the man’s clean floors. He half expected Phil to poke his head back out of the kitchen with a cruel grin and a _‘Just kidding! Get out.’_ but all he heard was the sound of humming and someone rummaging through what he guessed were cupboards. 

_Huh._

He started down the hallway he’d been directed towards, steps light and cautious. His gaze flicked down to the floor every other step to make sure he wasn’t about to step on any more pressure plates or anything, but otherwise he took in the decor. It was… weirdly undecorated. From what he could see of the first room, it had been warm and well-lit with lanterns and bookshelves and potted plants. This hallway was empty, like he'd never planned on using it for anything. Not that Techno knew much about decorating, but still… it made him a little uneasy.

He pushed open the door to the bedroom carefully, poking his head in and peering around before deeming it safe enough to enter. Techno flipped the light switch, grateful that it wasn't another one of the pressure plates, and wasn't surprised to see that it had the same general unused look as the rest of the hallway. There was a twin sized bed–the kind he used to be forced to share when he lived in the first "home" he'd had–pushed up against the corner of the room with white sheets and a grey blanket on top. A closet was built into one side with plain wooden doors separating it from the main of the room, and a wooden dresser stood against the wall near the door. A chest sat cracked partially open against the adjacent wall. He headed there first, crouching down and pulling the lid up to reveal nothing aside from some wood and sticks.

_Huh._ The room gave him an odd feeling, but it was nothing strange enough to make him want to leave just yet. He ignored it and started rifling through the dresser, pulling out clothes and dressing himself as quickly as he could. He dropped his wet clothes into a pile on the floor, deciding to just come back for them when he was ready to leave.

Techno left the door a crack open and walked into the bathroom. The sink was his main priority since 1) he was thirsty and 2) Phil had told him to "wash up" and he didn't trust the bath at a stranger's home. He turned on the water and cupped his hands beneath the faucet to catch it. As he raised his hands to his mouth to drink, he took note of his reflection.

He looked too much like a child in these clothes. Not that he wasn't one, technically, but he didn't _feel_ like one. Mentally he'd matured far past what any normal eight year old would. He'd seen and experienced far more, at least, and he had the scars to prove it. The shirt dwarfed him, and though he didn't like how small it made him feel it was thick and warm compared to his old clothes. 

Techno exhaled, trying to ignore it. He cupped some more water in his hands and splashed it over his face, clumsily trying to wipe off the dirt and grime. He didn't want to bother with the soap beside the faucet, instead just rubbing at his face until most of the dirt had been scrubbed away. By the time he'd finished the shoulders of the shirt were wet, but it was thick enough that he didn't mind. 

Once he’d dried his face on a towel nearby, he crept back down the hallway toward the first room, hoping to get a chance to look around. He headed straight for one of the bookshelves out of sight from the kitchen doorway and began digging around, pushing titles aside in hopes of finding something valuable. The humming still came from the kitchen, as well as the smell of a cooking meal filled the air. His stomach growled much louder than was comfortable and his hand jerked out in surprise, knocking a book he'd shoved aside off the shelf and onto the floor. His heart dropped as the humming paused.

"Did you find something that fits?" Phil called, and Techno froze. The man poked his head into the room and Techno met his gaze with wide eyes. This was most definitely suspicious–he was sitting here with a bunch of books pushed off to the side and one open on the floor–but Phil's gaze only softened.

He approached and Techno backed up, hands raising like he was preparing to take a hit. Instead, Phil bent down and picked up the fallen book, smoothing down the bent pages and looking over the cover. A small smile tugged at his lips.

"Ah, you're a reader, eh?" Phil chuckled, tilting the book so he could see the cover. It depicted what looked like a warrior stood atop a cliff with a dark mask over his face holding a sword to the sky. Techno found himself enamored with the image, eyes still wide but now with interest rather than fear. Phil sensed this and continued, reading out the title, "'The Masked Prince'? I used to love this one when I was younger. 'fraid I don't have much time for reading these kinds of books nowadays." He offered it to Techno, "You can have it if you'd like."

Techno hesitated only a moment before reaching out and snatching the book. His eyes were glued to the cover, the way the figure's sword glinted in the light. He'd never been a very good reader since he'd never been properly taught. Still, there was something about the book that just… clicked. He clutched it to his chest and nodded, mumbling an, "Okay."

"So, are you hungry? The food's just about done. I didn't know what you'd like so I uh, just made what I could find. Hope you don't mind potatoes." Phil laughed nervously.

Techno followed the man into the kitchen, still holding the book close. The food smelled amazing. His mouth watered. A big furnace sat against one wall, where he could see burning coals roasting their meal. The boy climbed onto one of the stools at the counter and placed the book down carefully beside him, but he kept his eyes on the food as Phil slipped an oven mitt on and pulled the tray out. The man set it down on the counter and turned to grab something out of a cabinet.

Techno's stomach growled almost painfully. Before him were three baked potatoes, steaming and practically radiating warmth. He was suddenly acutely aware of just how hungry he was–he hadn't eaten since breakfast the morning before. Had Phil not scooped one onto a plate and placed it down in front of him at that moment, he probably would've snatched one right off the sheet and tore in.

Phil turned away again, digging through the fridge, "Sorry it's not much, I didn't have time to stop by the market today. I've got some things we can top them with here, though–give it a bit more flavor."

By the time Phil turned to face him again with toppings in hand, though, Techno had already given in to the rumbling of his stomach. He'd picked up the still burning potato and, ignoring the heat, took a big bite. One of the perks of being a half-breed with Piglin blood meant that he wasn't as bothered by heat as others might be, so he was able to enjoy the food without worrying about scorching the inside of his mouth. He swallowed and took another bite.

Phil stared at him for a moment, then chuckled, but it was clear that he was a little confused. "Wow–you're hungry, aren't you? Careful, don't burn yourself." Techno didn't acknowledge him with anything more than a grunt, far too focused on his food.

The man took a seat across the counter from him on another stool, watching Techno curiously. He topped his own helping and started eating, too, though with significantly more class than Techno bothered displaying. The two ate in relative silence for a minute or so before Phil cleared his throat and asked, "So, you don't have a home?"

Techno swallowed what was in his mouth and shook his head. 

"Well… what about a family? Do you have any family?"

Techno shook his head again, then took another bite. He had no family–at least, not that he knew of. He'd been alone for a long time. The only homes he'd ever stayed in were terrible, which was why he'd left them in the first place. 

Phil frowned. "So you're just out on the streets by yourself, yeah? That's gotta be rough."

Techno nodded. "Yeah." He said through a mouthful of food. He swallowed, then added, "Lots'a people don't like me."

"Why?" Phil took a bite of his own food, but he clearly wasn't nearly as ravenous as Techno. "Is it because you're…?" He trailed off, but the boy knew full well what he was asking.

"'s 'cause I'm not human." Techno finished, though he made extra effort not to meet Phil's gaze, "'m only half. People don't like that."

Phil poked at his food, expression darkening for only a moment. Techno tried to ignore it, but he still found himself tensing up despite the fact that he knew Phil probably wasn't going to hurt him at this point. If he wanted to, he definitely could've done it by now.  
"I know what that's like," the man said finally. Techno wondered exactly what he meant by that, but he didn't think it was particularly worth it to ask. He instead kept his attention on the now nearly gone food, wanting to savor it before he had to leave.

The rain had picked up. Techno could hear it pounding against the roof of the house. It made him uneasy, especially knowing that he'd have to go back out into it soon. Maybe it had been a mistake to accept the offer–as amazing as the opportunity for a good meal and dry clothes and a book were, it wouldn't amount to much when he was turned out.

Thunder boomed. Techno jumped, caught off guard by the sudden noise. He tensed immediately and bit his lip almost painfully. The fact that his canines were sharper than most others meant that a lot of bloody lips, but this time he caught himself before he drew blood. Though he was warm now, he could feel the phantom of the freezing cold he was going to experience as soon as he left. And judging from the fact that he'd already eaten all of his food, that time was coming up much faster than he wanted it to. And the idea of having to make his way through the forest at night with thunder and lightning crashing all around him filled him fear. He gripped the edge of the counter tight enough for his knuckles to go white. 

Phil was staring at him again. Techno looked down, shifting uncomfortably. Any minute now, Phil was going to kick him out. He hadn't even had a chance to dig around for valuables he could take. At least he got a chance to eat.

When the man opened his mouth to speak, Techno was already half off the stool. He stopped, though, when he heard Phil's words.

"It's storming pretty rough out there, huh?"

"Yeah." The boy gave a quick nod, unsure whether that was a hint to go or not. "'s loud."

"It is." Phil paused, then asked the last question Techno expected to hear. "Would you like to stay the night?"

The boy just stared at him for nearly a minute, waiting for the _'just kidding!'_. When nothing of the sort came, though, he just didn't know how to react. It was definitely something he wanted to say yes to–the storm sounded bad already, and he really didn't want to have to face the monsters that came out at nighttime in the rain–but how could he be sure this was even safe? Then again, he didn't exactly have much to defend himself with if he had to go back through the forest…

Phil noticed the silence and his blank expression, and continued with a nervous chuckle, "You don't have to if you don't want to, but, well–it's not safe going back through there at this time of night, and you'll just be soaked again. So, how about it?"

Techno frowned doubtfully. "Really?"

Phil smiled, "Really. You could stay in the guest room if it makes you more comfortable. The house is sturdy, so you'll be more than safe. And if you want to leave in the morning, I won't stop you. I'd appreciate the company, though, if you've got nowhere else to go."

Techno stared for another moment or two, then gave a slow nod. He wasn't going to refuse. He'd stayed in homes before, but they usually ended in him running away, new bruises lining his arms and face. Though Phil seemed nice now, there was no guarantee it would stay that way. Still, he could take advantage of it while it lasted. It had been a long time since he slept in a warm house with a roof over his head, not to mention a whole bed to himself. It was more than he expected and, to be honest, more than he knew how to respond to.

So, instead of struggling to articulate the way his heart felt like it was pounding out of its chest and the prickling feeling behind his eyes, he just nodded again, grabbed the book off the counter, and walked out of the room. 

Phil was left staring after him in mild confusion as he sped down the hall and shut the door of the guest room, the _click_ of the lock following.

**Author's Note:**

> please leave a comment and kudos if you enjoyed :D it really helps and i appreciate it a ton! thanks :)


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